Corn cutter



Feb. 8, 1944. CABELL, 3:; 2,341,206

CORN CUTTER Filed Nov. 18, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 a6 awe/whom I JP. 61 55275]! I? Feb. 8, 1944.

R. G. CABELL, 3D

CORN CUTTER Filed Nov. 1a, 1943 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 its pivot. It is necessary that a slotted connection be provided between the rod 32 and the lever 29 as is shown at 34. The extreme end of the rod 32 is made in the form of a toothed rack 35 to operatively engage a pinion 36 fixed to the lower end of the cutting blade shaft l2. A spring 31 has one end attached to the outer portion of the lever 29, as at 38, and its other end anchored to the bridge piece 3|, as at 39. It will be noted that th spring is offset with respect to the pivot 30 of the lever 29 so as to normally hold the lever in the position shown;

After the device has been attached to the leg of a farmer, or other worker, the cutting blade will be actuated each time the farmers weight is put upon the leg carrying the device. As he steps down upon this foot, the unit M will collapse, moving the rod 22 upward and rotating the bell crank lever about its pivot. Movement of the bell crank lever will move the portion 25 of the actuating rod 24 forward and as the pin 28 is in contact with the end of the slots 21 in the member 26, the member 26 will also move, rocking the lever 29 about its pivot. The second actuating lever 32 will also move, causing rotation of the pinion 3'6 and the cutting blad 2. This movement is sufficient to carry the spring 21 over the pivot 30 of the lever 29, whereupon the spring will act to draw the lever 29 downward, moving the portion 26 of the actuating rod 24 on the portion 25 until the pin 28 strikes the opposite end of the slots 21. This second phase of movement will be greatly accelerated over the first, increasing the speed of the knife as it strikes the stalk to make a clean cut.

When the farmer lifts his weight from the leg carrying the cutter, the spring l1 will expand, drawing down the rod 22 and returning the bell crank [9 to its inoperative position. As the pin 28 was in contact with the end of the slot nearest the bell crank lever at the beginning of this return stroke, the lever 29 will be rocked until the spring 31 has again passed over the pivot 30, whereupon the spring will snap the lever to its inoperative position with the pin 28 abutting the end of the slots 21 furtherest removed from the bell crank lever.

Now adverting to that form of the invention shown in Figures to 7, inclusive, the circular cutting blade of the first form has been replaced by a linear blade 40. The unit 14, leg-encircling band 6, arms 3 and 4 of the supporting frame, bridge piece 3!, lever 29, and interconnecting operating mechanism is identical to that employed in th first form. However, the arms 8 and 9 of the frame in the first form are eliminated and the pivot for knife 40, indicated at 4|, is provided at the juncture of the arms 3 and 4. Knife 40 has an arm 42 extending at right angles to the knife blade, the outer end of which is pivotally connected to lever 29 by means of link 43. It can readily be seen that this form of the invention operates in substantially the same manner as that form previously described except that the knife has an oscillating motion swinging in a counterclockwise direc tion in its cutting stroke. The snap action pro vided by spring 31 and lever 29 is perhaps of greater value in this form of the invention than in'the first form, as the knife is swung slowly to the stalk and as it approaches the stalk its momentum is suddenly increased to provide a quick cutting stroke,

' stooping.

Various modifications in the precise structure a and arrangement of parts will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, but within the scope of the present invention, as claimed. Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A cutter comprising, a frame, means to attach the frame to the leg of a worker, a knife blade pivoted to the frame, and means to impart motion to said knife when the weight of the worker is shifted to the leg to which the cutter is attached.

2. A cutter comprising, a frame, means to attach the frame to the leg of a worker, a knife blade pivoted to the frame, a collapsible member to fit under the shoe of the worker, and linkage connecting said collapsible member and said knife blade whereby the knife blade will be moved when the weight of the worker is shifted to the leg to which the cutter is attached.

3. A cutter comprising, a frame, means to attach the frame to the leg of a worker, a knife blade pivoted to the frame, a collapsible member to fit under the shoe of the worker, linkage connecting said collapsible member and said knife blade whereby the knife blade will be moved when the weight of the worker is shifted to the leg to which the cutter is attached, and means interposed in said linkage whereby the movement of said knife blade will be accelerated after its initial movement.

4. A cutter as claimed in claim 3 wherein the accelerating means comprises a lever and a spring to cause said lever to snap over dead center position.

5. A cutter comprising, a frame, means to attach said frame to the leg of a worker, a circular knife blade pivoted to the frame, a collapsible member to fit under the shoe of the worker, and linkage connecting said collapsible member and said knife blade whereby the knife blade will be rotated when the weight of the worker is shifted to the leg to which the cutter is attached.

6. A cutter as claimed in claim 5, said knife blade carrying a pinion and said linkage terminating in a rack bar.

'7. A cutter comprising, a frame, means to attach said frame to the leg of a worker, a linear knife blade pivoted to the frame, a collapsible member to fit under the shoe of the worker, and linkage connecting said collapsible member and said knife blade whereby the knife blade will be oscillated when the'weight of the worker is shifted to the leg to which the cutter is attached.

8. A cutter as claimed in claim '7, said knife blade carrying a lever arm connected to said linkage.

9. A cutter as claimed in claim 2, means incorporated in said collapsible member to return the linkage to its inoperative position.

ROBERT GAMBLE CABELL, III. 

